Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Merida Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Merida

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,437 in Merida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $2,269 in Merida, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $3,100 in Merida, rent included.

Phuket is about 14% cheaper than Merida, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 10% below the global median, while Merida is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$14.28 MX$246

-69.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$58.6 MX$1,010

-44.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$8.51 MX$147

4.94%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.24 MX$73.1

-31.60%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.21 MX$20.83

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.22 MX$21.08

-60.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.98 MX$51.4

-21.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.95 MX$68.1

-5.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.72 MX$29.69

8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.93 MX$50.5

-49.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.90 MX$32.77

-18.42%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.05 MX$35.29

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$10.93 MX$188

79.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$8.36 MX$144

-59.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$13.02 MX$225

-12.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.91 MX$50.3

2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.55 MX$26.65

8.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.34 MX$40.36

-5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$2.22 MX$38.25

-2.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$2.34 MX$40.35

-35.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.89 MX$32.55

-29.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.54 MX$26.54

-26.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.25 MX$21.63

-56.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.77 MX$82.2

-10.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$11.50 MX$198

66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.60 MX$27.65

11.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.72 MX$46.95

2.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.69 MX$11.85

223.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$21.15 MX$365

7.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.00 MX$51.7

1.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$4.17 MX$72.0

-75.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$9.51 MX$164

-59.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.56 MX$26.97

-4.49%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$22.5K MX$387.8K

18.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$25.1K MX$432.7K

7.70%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 ฿3,420

$118 MX$2,035

-13.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.33 ฿378

$22.59 MX$389

-49.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$37.20 MX$641

-53.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$30.82 MX$531

68.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$12.56 MX$217

-11.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$8.09 MX$139

-4.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$561 ฿18.7K

$271 MX$4,677

106.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$3,870 MX$66.7K

197.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$56.8 MX$979

11.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$56.5 MX$973

-47.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$107 MX$1,847

-8.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$88.7 MX$1,529

-0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$687 MX$11.8K

7.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$478 MX$8,245

0.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,313 MX$22.6K

60.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,032 MX$17.8K

18.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,407 MX$41.5K

50.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,322 MX$22.8K

96.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$622 MX$10.7K

-20.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.64

-52.15%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Merida: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $687 in Merida. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Merida, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $59.0 in Merida. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $289 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Merida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Merida is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $2,155 in Merida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $271 in Merida. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Merida, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Merida at $1,437. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Merida it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Merida makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.